MUMBAI: In a move that has sent shockwaves through international media circles, the US administration yesterday effectively turned off the tap for its global broadcasting entities, leaving hundreds of Voice of America (VoA) staff high and dry on administrative leave.

The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has condemned the 15 March decision, warning that silencing these influential voices could embolden dictators and deprive millions worldwide of trustworthy information in an era awash with fake news.

"At a time when the world is looking to the US to be a global player for peace and freedom, cutting funding for US international media – one of the main instruments underpinning this goal – seems the wrong direction to take," fumed AIB chief executive Simon Spanswick.

For over 80 years, organisations like VoA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have served as America's informational arsenal, piercing through censorship and state propaganda in the world's most restrictive regimes. 

These broadcasters have been the ears and eyes for countless people living under the thumb of authoritarian rule.

The AIB warns this budgetary bombshell could trigger a domino effect of devastating consequences:
* Authoritarian regimes may feel emboldened to tighten their grip on local media
* Millions who rely on American broadcasts for unvarnished news may be left in the dark
* America's self-proclaimed commitment to press freedom risks appearing hollow on the global stage

The timing couldn't be worse, with disinformation campaigns running rampant across social media platforms and state-sponsored propaganda machines working overtime in numerous countries.

The AIB is demanding an immediate U-turn on the decision, urging the US administration to restore funding and allow journalists to continue their critical work without political meddling.